Rick Howlett

Rick Howlett has been with WFPL since 2001 and has held many different titles, including Morning Edition Host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director.
In addition to his duties as Broadcast Managing Editor and director of WFPL's Newscast Unit, Rick produces radio features and spot stories. His beats include the Indiana General Assembly and the region's passion for sports.

In recent years, Kentucky has seen a surge of heroin addiction— a situation created in part by a legislative crackdown on prescription drug abuse. Read Story

In recent years, Kentucky has seen a surge of heroin addiction— a situation created in part by a legislative crackdown on prescription drug abuse. Now, hundreds are dying from heroin overdoses, many of them in the northern Kentucky counties around Cincinnati. … Read Story

University of Louisville Provost Shirley Willihnganz is stepping down after 13 years in the post. Read Story

University of Louisville Provost Shirley Willihnganz is stepping down after 13 years in the post. Willihnganz made the announcement today in an e-mail to faculty and staff. Her resignation is effective June 30, according to a news release from the … Read Story

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana officials say a new mentoring
program launched this school year has been a success and will be expanded next year. Read Story

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana officials say a new mentoring program launched this school year has been a success and will be expanded next year. It’s called School to Work, and spokeswoman Kristin Milosevich says it initially matched 15 Seneca … Read Story

The University of Louisville's School of Music and athletics department will share a $12.6 million gift from retired pilot and investor Max Baumgardner of Louisville. Read Story

The University of Louisville’s music school and athletics department will share a $12.6 million gift from retired pilot and investor Max Baumgardner of Louisville. The $6.3 million donation to the School of Music is the largest planned gift in its 82-year … Read Story

Kentucky health officials say there have been at least 26 flu-related deaths in the state during the current influenza season. Read Story

Kentucky health officials say there have been at least 26 flu-related deaths in the state during the current influenza season. State epidemiologist Dr. Kraig Humbaugh said on Thursday that the fatality rate is rising as the flu becomes more widespread. … Read Story

The chief financial officer for Louisville Metro Government is on unpaid leave following his arrest Friday night on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges. According to police and media reports, Steve Rowland and the director of the Louisville Metro Council … Read Story

Various Kentucky agencies and businesses are joining forces to keep impaired drivers off the roads this holiday season. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign runs through New Year’s Day. State and local police will have beefed-up patrols and set up … Read Story

The 2015 Kentucky General Assembly session begins next month and the state’s heroin epidemic has a prominent spot on the legislative agenda. More than a half-dozen heroin-related bills have been prefiled, as lawmakers seek answers to a problem that has shattered thousands … Read Story

“The committee met one road block after another, and this is in the report, that prevented quick resolution of the inquiry and at times seemed designed to halt the investigation altogether," said Kelly Downard, a Council Republican. Read Story

A special Metro Council committee formed to investigate a series of allegations against senior management at Louisville Metro Animal Services has issued a report critical of the agency and the executive branch of Metro Government. The ad hoc panel released … Read Story

This year, many in Louisville have been marking the anniversary of a touchstone event of the Civil Rights era. It started 60 years ago when white activists, led by Carl and Anne Braden purchased a home on behalf of a … Read Story